Gaining Perspective

How important are all the little details of life? Speaking from my own experience, the importance of little details depend on how attached I am to something or someone and also how big of a role something plays in my life. When thinking about my relationship with my son, I thought I was the wiser and my job has been to impart my ideas and perspective to him. Now that he's having his own life experiences that shape him, he's developing his own perspectives. Something happened early on Christmas Eve morning to change his perspective on the world a little bit - he and his father were in a car accident. My son is lucky - he has some cuts on his face and a broken rib, but is basically fine. Strangely enough, I don't notice his cuts and bruises as much as I notice what he's saying. He made sure to let me know that the doctor told him that if the lady who rammed into their car were driving only a little faster, that he and his dad might not be here. He also told me things I've never heard from him - things like he is grateful to God that he is okay. Also, he had some things that were ruined by the EMT's when they were taking care of him. He didn't want them listed in the insurance report because they are just "things". These things he says are surprising to me because I've never heard K speak like this before. You know, aside from being extremely relieved that no one was hurt seriously in the accident, I can't help but think it happened for some reason and that the after-effects are not all negative. When I hear my son for once, not be caught up into the materialism of Christmas, be a little more free with his affection towards the ones who care about him, and express his gratitude for even small thigns, it makes me realize he's gained some perspective that I had no hand in giving to him.